Interpreting Jesus' Command to Take Up Your Cross Daily

Sources

1. Luke “Luke 9:23 (LITV) — And He said to all, If anyone desires to come after Me, let him deny himself and take up his cross daily. And let him follow Me.”
2. Luke “Whoever doesn’t bear his own cross, and come after me, can’t be my disciple. -- Luke 14:27”
3. Easton's Bible Dictionary “Easton's Bible Dictionary: Cross — In the New Testament the instrument of crucifixion, and hence used for the crucifixion of Christ itself (Eph. 2:16; Heb. 12:2; 1 Cor. 1:17, 18; Gal. 5:11; 6:12, 14; Phil. 3:18). The word is also used to denote any severe affliction or trial (Matt. 10:38; 16:24; Mark 8:34; 10:21). The forms in which the cross is represented are these: 1. The crux simplex (I), a "single piece without transom." 2. The crux decussata (X), or St. Andrew's cross. 3. The crux commissa (T), or St. Anthony's cross. 4. The crux immissa (t), or Latin cross, which was the kind of cross o”
4. Isaiah “As often as it passes through, it will seize you; for morning by morning it will pass through, by day and by night; and it will be nothing but terror to understand the message.” -- Isaiah 28:19”
5. Torrey's Topical Textbook “Torrey's Topical Textbook: Obedience to God — Commanded -- De 13:4. Without faith, is impossible -- Heb 11:6. Includes Obeying his voice. -- Ex 19:5; Jer 7:23. Obeying his law. -- De 11:27; Isa 42:24. Obeying Christ. -- Ex 23:21; 2Co 10:5. Obeying the gospel. -- Ro 1:5; 6:17; 10:16,17. Keeping his commandments. -- Ec 12:13. Submission to higher powers. -- Ro 13:1. Better than sacrifice -- 1Sa 15:22. Justification obtained by that of Christ -- Ro 5:19. Christ, an example of -- Mt 3:15; Joh 15:20; Php 2:5-8; Heb 5:8. Angles engaged in -- Ps 103:20. A characteristic of saints -- 1Pe 1:14. Saints ”
6. Torrey's Topical Textbook “Torrey's Topical Textbook: Resignation — Christ set and example of -- Mt 26:39-44; Joh 12:27; 18:11. Commanded -- Ps 37:7; 46:10. Should be exhibited in Submission to the will of God. -- 2Sa 15:26; Ps 42:5,11; Mt 6:10. Submission to the sovereignty of God in his purposes. -- Ro 9:20,21. The prospect of death. -- Ac 21:13; 2Co 4:16-5:1. Loss of goods. -- Job 1:15,16,21. Loss of children. -- Job 1:18,19,21. Chastisements. -- Heb 12:9. Bodily suffering. -- Job 2:8-10. The wicked are devoid of -- Pr 19:3. Exhortation to -- Ps 37:1-11. Motives to God's greatness. -- Ps 46:10. God's love. -- Heb 12:”
7. Torrey's Topical Textbook “Torrey's Topical Textbook: Self-Denial — Christ set an example of -- Mt 4:8-10; 8:20; Joh 6:38; Ro 15:3; Php 2:6-8. A test of devotedness to Christ -- Mt 10:37,38; Lu 9:23,24. Necessary In following Christ. -- Lu 14:27-33. In the warfare of saints. -- 2Ti 2:4. To the triumph of saints. -- 1Co 9:25-27. Ministers especially called to exercise -- 2Co 6:4,5. Should be exercised in Denying ungodliness and worldly lusts. -- Ro 6:12; Tit 2:12. Controlling the appetite. -- Pr 23:2. Abstaining from fleshly lusts. -- 1Pe 2:11. No longer living to lusts of men. -- 1Pe 4:2. Mortifying sinful lusts. -- Mr ”
8. Torrey's Topical Textbook “Torrey's Topical Textbook: Seeking God — Commanded -- Isa 55:6; Mt 7:7. Includes seeking His Name. -- Ps 83:16. His word. -- Isa 34:16. His face. -- Ps 27:8; 105:4. His strength. -- 1Ch 16:11; Ps 105:4. His commandments. -- 1Ch 28:8; Mal 2:7. His precepts. -- Ps 119:45,94. His kingdom. -- Mt 6:33; Lu 12:31. His righteousness. -- Mt 6:33. Christ. -- Mal 3:1; Lu 2:15,16. Honour which comes from him. -- Joh 5:44. Justification by Christ. -- Ga 2:16,17. The city which God has prepared. -- Heb 11:10,16; 13:14. By prayer -- Job 8:5; Da 9:3. In his house -- De 12:5; Ps 27:4. Should be Immediate. -- H”
9. Luke (Protestant academic) “Tyndale House on Luke 9:23: 9:23-27 If any of you wants to be my follower: After predicting his own suffering and death, Jesus taught that all who follow him must also experience death to self. 9:23 take up your cross daily: This did not simply mean carrying a heavy burden, but suffering a violent death by crucifixion. Believers must be completely willing to die to themselves and to live for God, even at the cost of their lives.”
10. Matthew (Presbyterian) “Jamieson, Fausset & Brown on Matthew 10:38: And he that taketh not his cross, and followeth after me, is not worthy of me--a saying which our Lord once and again emphatically reiterates (Mat 16:24; Luk 9:23; Luk 14:27). We have become so accustomed to this expression--"taking up one's cross"--in the sense of "being prepared for trials in general for Christ's sake," that we are apt to lose sight of its primary and proper sense here--"a preparedness to go forth even to crucifixion," as when our Lord had to bear His own cross on His way to Calvary--a saying the more remarkable as our Lord had not”
11. Mark (Protestant academic) “Tyndale House on Mark 8:34: 8:34-38 Jesus’ invitation to his disciples and the crowd lays out the cost of being his follower. • To give up your own way involves letting Jesus determine your goals and purposes in life. To take up your cross is metaphorical (cp. Luke 9:23); it indicates that faithfulness to Jesus must extend, if required, even to the point of death. To follow Jesus’ teaching and example is a continual commitment.”
12. Matthew (Protestant academic) “Tyndale House on Matthew 16:24: 16:24 give . . . take . . . follow: These three imperatives use different images to speak of the same radical commitment of confessing one’s sinfulness before God in humility, surrendering one’s personal ambition to God, and living according to his will (see also 5:20; 10:34-39; 18:1-5; 20:20-28). • Take up your cross is a metaphor for devotion (see Luke 9:23) rather than a call to martyrdom, although martyrdom is an ever-present possibility for Jesus’ disciples (Matt 5:10-12; 10:21). • In Matthew, follow is used both literally (9:19; 26:58) and metaphorically. ”
13. Matthew (Protestant academic) “Tyndale House on Matthew 10:37: 10:37-39 The cross was a Roman instrument of torture and execution (27:27-55). To take up your cross and follow Jesus involves loving him above all other things and being willing to follow him regardless of the physical or social consequences.”
14. Luke (Baptist/Reformed) “John Gill on Luke 9:22: And he said to them all,.... Not only to all the disciples, but "to the multitude", as the Arabic version renders it, who were now called unto him, with his disciples, as is clear from Mar 8:34, any man will come after me, let him deny himself, and take up his cross daily, and follow me; the same is said here, as in Mat 16:24; see Gill on Mat 16:24, Mar 8:34, only here the word, "daily", is added; and which, though as Beza observes, is not in the Complutensian edition, nor in five ancient copies; yet is in others, and in the Vulgate Latin, and in all the Oriental vers”
15. Matthew (Baptist/Reformed) “John Gill on Matthew 11:28: Take my yoke upon you,.... The phrase is Rabbinical. The Jewish doctors often speak (a) of , "the yoke of the kingdom of heaven", and of persons taking it upon them; and which they exhort to, and express in much such language as here (b); , "take upon you the yoke of the holy kingdom", every day. They distinguish this from the yoke of the law, and say (c). "a man must first take upon him the yoke of the kingdom of heaven, and after that take upon him the "yoke" of the commandment.'' Their sense I take to be this, that a man must first make a profession of his fa”
16. 2 Corinthians (Methodist/Wesleyan) “Adam Clarke on 2 Corinthians 4:10: Always bearing about in the body, etc. - Being every moment in danger of losing our lives in the cause of truth, as Jesus Christ was. We, in a word, bear his cross, and are ready to offer up our lives for him. There is probably an allusion here to the marks, wounds, and bruises which the contenders in those games got, and continued to carry throughout life. That the life also of Jesus might be made manifest - That in our preservation, the success of our ministry, and the miracles we work, we might be able to give the fullest demonstration that Jesus is risen ”